IT’S been a summer of blood, sweat … and lots and lots of tears. From an outstanding Olympics to Euro 2012, from a wonderful Wimbledon to a remarkable Tour de France – rarely have we been treated to such sporting emotional intensity in such a brief time-frame.

But nowhere has the emotion been more intense, more raw and more life-enhancing than during the Paralympics.

If you haven’t watched Channel 4’s coverage do so now, before it’s too late. But have an excuse handy – like dust in your eye.

It doesn’t take much to set me off.

Barber’s Adagio for strings, the Pride of Britain awards, any of half-a-dozen scenes from Spartacus – but Tuesday night’s TV was a total blub-fest.

From David Weir making history on the track, our own David Devine grabbing an outstanding bronze in the 1500m – and a blind footballer called Jeferson doing things with a football many sighted Premier League players couldn’t contemplate, it was a remarkable evening.

But the real tear jerker was undoubtedly the bronze medal won by Great Britain’s women in the T35/38 100m relay final.

The T35/38 category is for athletes with cerebral palsy – a motor condition that affects muscle movement and co-ordination. And after Livvy Breen, Bethany Woodward and Katrina Hart had seared round the track to leave GB on course for a shock gold medal, the girls messed up their final baton change.

Hart held out the baton for what seemed like an eternity, while Jenny McLoughlin’s hand flailed for it forever. She grabbed, grasped and finally caught hold – by which time Great Britain trailed Russia and China.

Jenny’s face said it all. She thought she’d screwed up, but she put her head down and well, legged it.

She crossed the line in third to spark wild celebrations of a richly deserved bronze – only for the commentator to grimly declare the very real possibility of a disqualification for exiting the changeover box without a proper hold on the baton.

Surely they couldn’t? Could they? How could sport be so cruel? The girls were ecstatic. So, too, was the crowd – and the thought of such grim news being despatched was too much to bear.

Except it wasn’t. Judges declared the changeover just about legal, the girls were confirmed as bronze medallists and the celebrations intensified.

It was almost as spectacular 24 hours later. Legs deadened by his exertions in shattering the European 1500m record, Liverpool Harrier David Devine lay in last place in the 800m.

Then he heard the home crowd.

David is visually impaired – no sight in his left eye, only peripheral vision in his right – but what he heard in his ears drove him on.

“I thought it was all over down the home straight, then I realised I only had 100 metres of my home Games to go and I gave it everything I had,” he explained.

To put into perspective just how much he gave, Tunisia’s Abderrahim Zhiou, who won the gold, covered the final 200m faster than David Rushida did in his awesome 800m display in this same arena back in August.

“Without the crowd I wouldn’t have got into third place, I will probably never run in that atmosphere again,” David added.

He snatched a bronze with a final dip on the line – then relied on the crowd again.

David couldn’t see the scoreboard, but an exultant, primeval roar from the crowd told him what he needed to know.

And back home? I was in bits. I snorted when I heard Radio Merseyside’s Tony Snell say he was enjoying the Paralympics more than the Olympics. Now I know just what he meant.

Do yourself a favour and tune in before its all over for another four years. Just make sure you’ve a hanky handy.